If you were going to buy a new timber tramping handgun in .22LR

[S.B.]

What would it be, revolver or semi auto or break open and why?
Steve

[kevthebassman]

Revolver.  You don't have to limit your ammunition choices to rounds that will cycle the action.

[S.B.]

Do you have a preference of gun makers, Kevin?
Steve

[Keith L]

My single six with the Long Rifle cyl. installed.  It always works and is cost effective to shoot.

[mangulator]

I did a lot of trapping back in the early 80's and the gun I packed for trapping was my Ruger Single Six with the 22 LR. cylinder. In fact I still have the gun and I still carry it hunting and camping. It has never let me down and I can shoot all brands of ammo, some more accurate then others but it never jams

[Dee]

I like my Browning Buckmark. Super-Super accurate, and reliable. Sometimes I use it as my squirrel gun. It shoots like a rifle. Good sights, and excellent trigger pull.

[sachel.45]

id get the new ruger mk III hunter with the 4.5" barrel

[kevthebassman]

Do you have a preference of gun makers, Kevin?
Steve

I think it's hard to go wrong with any of the major name brands.  I'm not really partial to any certain brand.

[v-man]

Lots of good ones but I just got back from the range with my S&W 617 6" K-frame 10 shot 22LR and all I can say is WOW!

[Ladobe]

Probably to save weight I'd opt for the S&W Model 63 or 317.   The extra holes in the 317 looks interesting.   If weight was not an issue a Colt New Frontier or an OM Ruger Single Six would get the nod.

On the long treks I carried either my S&W Model 63 or OM Ruger Bearcat for a bunch of years, and added a OM Super Bearcat when they came out.  For more normal woodswalking either my Colt NF or OM Ruger Single Six usually went along.   I always stuck with revolvers for the wilderness because of their reliability.

[Chris]

...a good SS revlover you can get wet & dirty, that you can clean-up in the woods without a lot of trouble/work.

...Chris

[OLDHandgunner]

I'd carry a S&W Model 63. It's light, it's compact & it's SS.

[Tom C.]

If I were carrying in the woods, I would give first consideration to my SS Ruger Bearcat and S&W 63. Both weigh under 30 oz., are pretty compact, and shoot very well. The 63 has better sights, but the Bearcat is surprisingly useable.

[Darrell Davis]

Well, for woods tramping it would be a Ruger Mark II or III with the heavy 5" +/- barrel.

For anything heavier then a .22 it would be RUGER stainless in Double action.

The Single actions are fine guns, but after having both I still come down with the DA.

They are tough and the Redhawk for example is very tough.

Keep em coming!

CDOC

[greywolf444]

my  Buckmark is very accurate.  the single six is more fun but not as accurate.  I have carried the buckmark for a lot of years and it is perfect for woods walks.  small game out to 40-50 yds is in serious danger.  I should have bought a single six 30 years ago (everyone should have at least one). It is tough and reliable. more of a 25 yd shooter though.  farther with 22 mags.

[44 Man]

Easy list.  Ruger single six (short barrel) or Bearcat (if it fits your hands) for single actions.  Double actions; S&W kit guns, old High Standard Sentinel, 3" Charter Pathfinder.  Semi autos; as much as I love the Ruger it's bigger and heavier than I want for woods bumming (if you are going hunting, there is no finer handgun).  So I would have a great time with a little Taurus tip up barrel (more accurate than you would expect), Walther Pk22, and old Astra 22 (same size) or one of my favorites, the little 1911 clone .22 from Llama.  Of course that's my list, your mileage may vary.  Get that gun and enjoy it!  44 Man

[OODA]

I second that vote for the Ruger Bearcat! It has to be the handiest and funnest handgun I've ever shot. Small, light weight and solid. Love it...

[TeamNelson]

I'm in the same market and I've read good things on the Taurus 94 SS revolver; held one Wednesday and I like the feel. $300ish new

[v-man]

I admit that I am somewhat of a Taurus "basher". The 94 as with most taurus revolvers is pretty much a feeble attempt to imitate the S&W. The 94 looks and feels good but 2 friends have bought them. One new and one used,(the guns not the friends) and both had to send them back due to stuck cylinders. Wouldn't rotate, wouldn't open, just stuck. The 617 is more money but what an improvement over the Taurus.

[Brett]

I have one of the early 4" M94s made back before they offered them in stainless and the ejector shroud is not the heavy, full length thing that it is now.  I have had very good luck with it.  The cylinder will bind ounce the gun gets too dirty but that usually takes a couple hundred rounds and is no big deal to fix. A wet patch run over the breach and the cylinder face is all it takes to get it back up and running.  Oh, and the little gun is quite accurate.  It's my wife's favorite plinker because of it's size and light weight.     

[hylander]

What would it be, revolver or semi auto or break open and why?
Steve

I just did a couple of days ago.
Ruger MKIII 22/45 5.5" Blued
Fairly small and light, also will carry a few extra mags already loaded up.
I beleive the Ruger is the most reliable Semi-Auto out there. my last one never had a single hick-up "Ever"

[v-man]

Brett, I did not intend to offend. If you have had good experience I'm happy for you. I just have not. It's similar to a lot of bad experiences I read about regarding the Sig Mosquito. Mine has been flawless and I love it. I wish you continued satisfaction with your 94.

[Brett]

No offense taken V-man.  My experience with my 94 may not be the norm for these guns. Maybe I've just been lucky.  All I know is that I've had the gun for over 15 years now, shot God knows how many bricks of .22's threw it without any trouble with the exception of the afore mentioned binding when it gets real dirty. A couple of licks to the breach with a file to open the gap a hair would probably remedy that but I'm not sure its worth the trouble when a quick wipe down is all that's needed to get back in the action. 

I almost picked up a used Mosquito myself several months back while visiting family up in Massachusetts but decided to pass on it.  It felt great in my hand and pointed naturally for me.  The dealer's price was pretty good but the shipping and transfer fees would have put the cost up around what I could have bought a new one for back home.  My brother, who lives in MA, ended up picking it up for himself.  As far as I know he has good luck with it.  Hope you continue to have good luck with yours. 

Oh, forgot to mention, my wife qualified for her CCW using that little 94.          

[v-man]

Mine used an SP 101. It's a good feeling to know that they have at least some ability to defend themselves when we're not around, isn't it?

[SHOOTALL]

i like my Ruger Govt model and my Ruger SP 101 with a 4 inch bbl .
Guess i would have to say a Ruger . If pressured it would be the old Govt. mod.
It is very accurate . can't remember it ever having a stoppage .

[Jerry Lester]

Tough to beat a Ruger Single Six revolver. Never have to worry about a jam, or other malfunctions that are common with other actions, and plenty accurate enough for any kind of hunting/plinking, etc...

[Keith L]

I agree Jerry.  And my Single Six is the lightest of my .22 pistols.  I love my Buckmark, but it is so heavy it will pull my pants down.

[Old Fart]

Great question. The only 22 handgun I currently own is a little buckmark I bought about 20 years ago. As stated above they're sweet little guns. If I was going out to buy a new one for stompming around in the woods with I would need to do some more research. I would probably be looking for a wheelgun. Almost certainly in stainless. Readily available grip upgrades to a synthetic. Might want adjustable sights.
This is great I am now out on a new adventure looking for a new plinker pistol.
 
OF

[Paladin]

I have revolvers, auto's  and what do I carry in the woods? A contender of course, 70's frame with original wood and a 10 inch octagon barrel with iron sights. Shoots as well as any of the 22's I have, one shot makes me concentrate more on the shot. also will shoot hvlr, svlr,hvshorts,svshorts and cb caps (long or short). That's just me and what I like, too each his own.  Ken

[LEO]

Well, up until last year I would have voted for the Ruger Semi-auto or the single six, have both love them.  But my woods bumming choice of late is becoming my Glock with a 22 conversion kit.  The handgun is very light, plenty accurate and easy to carry.  Of course you are limited to long rifle cartridges but you can single feed shot shells, they feed through the magazine but do not cycle the slide.  I guess the same could be said for CB longs but I haven't tried them so I am just guessing.  Shorts will not work but I don't see this as a problem as shorts are more expensive nowadays than LRs are anyway and really aren't that much quiter and usually less accurate out of a handgun than LR rounds and since you specified in your post 22LR I assume shorts and cbs and such are not of intrest to you anyway.  Another advantage to the Glock conversion is that if I had a need to I could carry the slide assembly and magazines and also have a centerfire handgun available without the weight of a second handgun. My particular Glock Conversion Kit is the Advantage Arms Kit and I have had no problems at all out of it and as I specified it is plenty accurate for taking squirells out to 25 yards or so, maybe farther in more capable hands.